Yoke assembly for a coupler system

Abstract

A yoke assembly includes an outer housing having opposite front and rear ends and can define an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end. The yoke assembly also can include a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing, a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing, a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod, and an elastomeric body and/or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing. The bumper assembly can be positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A yoke assembly comprising:
 an outer housing having a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end;   a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing;   a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing;   a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod; and   one or more of an elastomeric body or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing, the bumper assembly positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle, wherein the outer housing includes an opening in the rear end of the outer housing through which a rear end of the guide rod protrudes, the guide rod including a yoke pin and one or more annular bodies between the yoke pin and the rear end of the outer housing.   
     
     
         2 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly, the guide rod, and the guiding sliding bushing are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to absorb energy. 
     
     
         3 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly, the guide rod, and the guiding sliding bushing are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to compensate for different heights of the second hook of the second coupler system of the second rail vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a resilient cap body and a coupling body, the resilient cap body configured to engage and absorb the energy from impact of the mechanical head, the coupling body configured to couple and de-couple from the guide rod for replacement of the bumper assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wear bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body disposed between the guiding sliding bushing and the wear bushing.   
     
     
         6 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the guiding sliding bushing is configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing responsive to the bumper assembly being engaged by the mechanical head of the first coupler system, the outer housing including an inner surface with a step or shoulder that limits a distance that the guiding sliding bushing moves into the interior chamber of the outer housing and that limits compression of the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body. 
     
     
         7 . The yoke assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the step or shoulder of the outer housing limits the compression of the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body such that the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body does not engage the inner surface of the outer housing when compressed. 
     
     
         8 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the yoke pin is configured to be removed from the guide rod to permit removal of the one or more annular bodies, and the bumper assembly is configured to be detached from the guide rod to permit removal of the guide rod, the guiding sliding bushing, and the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body from the outer housing. 
     
     
         9 . The yoke assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a safety ring disposed on the guide rod and configured to hold the guiding sliding bushing on the guide rod while the bumper assembly is removed from the guide rod.   
     
     
         10 . A yoke assembly comprising:
 an outer housing having a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end;   a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing;   a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod; and   a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing with the guide rod extending through an opening in the guiding sliding bushing and the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body disposed between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing,   one or more of an elastomeric body or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing around the guide rod, the bumper assembly positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle,   the bumper assembly and the guide rod are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to compensate for different heights of the second hook of the second coupler system of the second rail vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The yoke assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a wear bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body disposed between the guiding sliding bushing and the wear bushing.   
     
     
         12 . The yoke assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the wear bushing and the guiding sliding bushing include an opening through which the guide rod extends, the wear bushing and the guiding sliding bushing suspending the guide rod in the interior chamber of the outer housing with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body suspended in the interior chamber of the outer housing around the guide rod. 
     
     
         13 . The yoke assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the guiding sliding bushing is configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing responsive to the bumper assembly being engaged by the mechanical head of the first coupler system, the outer housing including an inner surface with a step or shoulder that limits a distance that the guiding sliding bushing moves into the interior chamber of the outer housing and that limits compression of the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body. 
     
     
         14 . The yoke assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the step or shoulder of the outer housing limits the compression of the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body such that the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body does not engage the inner surface of the outer housing when compressed. 
     
     
         15 . The yoke assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a safety ring disposed on the guide rod and configured to hold the guiding sliding bushing on the guide rod while the bumper assembly is removed from the guide rod.   
     
     
         16 . The yoke assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the bumper assembly and the guide rod are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to absorb energy. 
     
     
         17 . A yoke assembly comprising:
 an outer housing having a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end;   a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing;   a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing;   a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod; and   one or more of an elastomeric body or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing, the bumper assembly positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle, wherein the bumper assembly, the guide rod, and the guiding sliding bushing are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to absorb energy,   wherein the bumper assembly, the guide rod, and the guiding sliding bushing are configured to move within the interior chamber of the outer housing from engagement of the bumper assembly with the mechanical head with the one or more of the elastomeric body or the resilient body being compressed to compensate for different heights of the second hook of the second coupler system of the second rail vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The yoke assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a safety ring disposed on the guide rod and configured to hold the guiding sliding bushing on the guide rod while the bumper assembly is removed from the guide rod.   
     
     
         19 . A yoke assembly comprising:
 an outer housing having a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end;   a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing;   a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing;   a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod;   
       one or more of an elastomeric body or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing, the bumper assembly positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle; and
 a safety ring disposed on the guide rod and configured to hold the guiding sliding bushing on the guide rod while the bumper assembly is removed from the guide rod.